


Tell the hours

by Sneakend



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Broken Bones, Denailing, Ensemble Cast, Established Relationship, Gang Rape, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Imprisonment, Injury, M/M, Minor Character Death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Threats of Violence, Torture, Wano Arc (One Piece), Waterboarding, necrophilia mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:49:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28504011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sneakend/pseuds/Sneakend
Summary: Kaido's henchmen introduce Kid to the true meaning of defeat.
Relationships: Eustass Kid/Killer, Eustass Kid/Other(s), Eustass Kid/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38
Collections: KidLaw Exchange 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the KidLaw exchange 2020, my giftee was generaldevi who asked for dark themes/tropes, torture and breakdown (and absolutely no fluff). I hope this satisfies.

Kid was in pain, but the pain he could take. It had been his constant companion since the fight with Red Hair and even before that it had hardly been a stranger. The streets of his hometown hadn't been kind to an orphan child, after all. No, the pain was nothing compared to the humiliation of being defeated so easily, or to the betrayal by the allies he'd chosen to put his trust in. All of that had stung and made him grit his teeth in anger even now when he didn't have the strength to as much as lift his head. Yet even in his defeat he knew, if he survived this, he'd kill them all. Kaido, Hawkins, Apoo, everyone who followed them. They may not know it, but they were all living on borrowed time. 

First, though, he'd have to survive long enough to regain his strength and to regroup with his crew. He didn't have any recollection of what had happened between him falling to the ground that last time and waking up here in the dark — he must've passed out at some point. He didn't need to open his eyes to determine he was on board a ship, the familiar swaying of the deck had clued him in before he'd even been fully awake. After their fight, Red Hair had let him go and he'd woken up on Punk, missing an arm and a few pints of blood but alive, his crew safe from harm. 

But this time, the ship wasn't his. He didn't need his eyes to figure out that little detail, lying on the hard floorboards was quite enough to drive home the fact. Not to mention any movement he made was accompanied by pain. This time there would be no pain medication, no Killer to wipe caked blood off his face and tell him it was going to be okay. 

Maybe he should've been flattered that he was still considered a threat of some kind since even in this sorry condition he'd been put in seastone cuffs. But he had no energy to feel vindictive over that, or anything else. Every muscle in his body screamed and refused to cooperate even enough for him to turn over into a more comfortable position if such a thing was possible in this situation. 

It was undignified, the way they'd just dumped him on the floor, face first. He was having a hard time breathing, a pool of blood had leaked out of his mouth and unable to move his head, he was inhaling the liquid mess with every breath. Plus his chest felt tight, a stabbing pain piercing through it whenever he managed a slightly deeper breath. Broken ribs, no doubt. 

He could've been in a cell, could've been abandoned in a regular room, there was no way to know and it didn't make a difference regardless. Even if the door was unlocked he would've had to be able to make it across the room to benefit from that — and in his current state that was not happening anytime soon. 

He waited, and waited. The exhaustion was deep enough that even the pain couldn't keep him from dozing off a few times, but every time that happened something would jerk him back to reality in a matter of minutes. A couple of times it was a loud yell from above, making him worry it had come from Killer or some other member of his crew, but more often than not it was some new issue with his body reminding him that he may have been beaten to hell but he was still unfortunately very much alive. 

Finally, the door banged open, multiple pairs of boots scuffling across the floor. Someone set to lighting up lanterns around the room, the sudden brightness hurting Kid's eyes after hours of darkness. 

"Is he still alive?" asked a voice he didn't recognize. 

Someone poked him in the shin with the tip of their shoe. "Hey, you still breathing?"

Kid was still trying to weigh his options. He wasn't sure whether ignoring them was worth the satisfaction when punishment would surely follow. He wasn't afraid of pain but there was always the possibility they'd get it in their heads to use his crew as leverage and that he could not allow. He settled for a low grunt, not willing to attempt a proper response in case his throat decided to not cooperate. They didn't need to know the true extent of his weakness. 

"He's alive," said whoever had poked him before, "but he'll wish he wasn't soon enough."

"Bring him in," someone commanded. 

There was the sound of the door opening and closing again and something being dragged across the floor. 

"Kid!" called out Killer's familiar voice, Kid would've recognized it anywhere. 

"Killer?" he managed to croak out before his throat protested, sending him into a fit of coughing that set his broken ribs aflame with agony. He could feel his consciousness fading but he held on to it with pure willpower. 

That was enough for Killer to lose any semblance of calm. "Let me go!" 

"Who do you think you are? You don't give the orders here," the man who was restraining him barked. 

The sounds of resistance faded, seemed like Killer had decided to switch strategies. 

"Just let me make sure he's alright," he coaxed in a low voice, though Kid could hear he was holding back anger, "why did you even bring me here otherwise?"

"Well, certainly not for that! But what the hell, go ahead and check up on your boyfriend," the man said. "Just remember that you're outnumbered and if you try anything... The state he's in, one kick's probably enough to do your precious captain in."

Fortunately, Killer was too busy rushing to Kid's side to dignify that with an answer. That would've led to a fight that neither of them could afford right now. 

"Kid," Killer said, dropping on his knees next to him. "How you feeling?"

Kid almost choked on a laugh, from his appearance alone it must've been obvious how he was feeling. But this whole situation had thrown Killer out of balance, he shouldn't be too harsh on the man for sounding less than intelligent. 

"Just peachy," he replied, though it came out somewhat garbled. He trusted Killer to understand anyway. 

"We're all okay, Heat and Wire and the rest. They haven't touched any of us," Killer informed him, instinctively knowing what he'd been worrying about the most. "They're worried about you though."

"Tell them..." Kid said, pausing to draw in a painful breath, "we aren't done."

"They know that," Killer said without a shred of doubt. 

"Hawkins?" Kid asked, dreading the answer. 

"He joined Kaido. Useless coward," Killer spit out the insult like a curse. 

"I'll kill him. Kill all of them," Kid hissed with conviction. 

"I can't believe this! He's weak as a kitten and spouting crap like that? How about you shut him up before I come there and do it for him," one of the men complained. 

"Who's-Who, King is coming," someone interjected. 

"Get that bitch out of there," ordered the man who Kid assumed was this Who's-Who — what kinda dumbass name was that anyway? 

Someone stepped over to pull Killer to his feet and away from Kid. 

"No," Kid protested weakly, trying to reach for Killer as if he'd had the strength to make a difference even if he caught ahold of him. 

"I'm going to kill you!" Killer announced to the room at large and Kid couldn't help the half-smile that made it to his face. Whatever happened, they were going to fight back. 

Someone new stepped through the door. "What's going on?"

This had to be the King dude they'd mentioned but all Kid could see from his vantage point was a pair of black boots. The rest of the man was looming somewhere above him, but regardless, he got the sense that he was massive. He seemed to be the one in charge since his appearance was enough to shut up the entire room. 

"Just waiting for you before we start," Who's-Who said. 

King made a noncommittal sound. "Who wants to go first?"

"Shouldn't we wait? I mean, look at him," someone chimed in. 

"Yes? What do you care? You want him to fight back?" King asked. 

"What if he dies?"

Who's-Who scoffed. "Then he dies, we might even get to keep the bounty, how's that? You can buy all the booze you want. Or women. Or men. I don't give a shit."

The door banged loudly against the wall as someone else rushed in. Was there no end to people who wanted to spectate on his misery? 

"Sorry, I'm late! What'd I miss?" This time the voice that joined the conversation was unmistakably feminine. 

"Nothing, we haven't started," King said in a voice that suggested his patience was wearing thin. 

"What's the problem, huh? I'll show you how it's done," the woman declared. 

"What are you talking about?" Killer asked. 

"Aww, you're worried about him! You two are just too sweet," she cooed, her voice dripping with condescension. "I can't promise we'll be gentle with him, but we'll let you watch."

Killer growled at her. "What are you going to do?"

"You'll see," she said and took a few quick steps towards Kid. 

He could feel the woman's hands on him, running across his back and sides. What their exact plans were, he could only guess, but it couldn't be anything good. The first thing she did was pull off his coat and toss it to the side. The cool air in the room hit his skin like a slap to the face, causing a shiver to run down his spine. Usually, he wasn't that sensitive to cold but the blood loss and exhaustion had taken their toll. 

Next, she started working on the rest of his clothes, and that finally drove him to action. He tried to roll away but only managed to turn on his back so he was forced to stare his tormentor in the face. 

She offered him a bright smile. "Oh, turning around to give me better access. So considerate!"

"Why's she the one doing this?" asked the one who'd been worrying about Kid potentially dying before. 

That would've been almost sweet but even Kid wasn't dense enough to think his protests had come from a place of concern, no, he had undoubtedly only cared about what Kaido would do if he found out his newest prisoner had been killed before he even reached wherever it was that they were headed to. 

She shrugged without taking her eyes off Kid. "It's not like you guys seemed eager."

"I doubt you know how to unhook a bra, let alone undress a grown man, brat," Who's-Who jeered. 

"I undress myself every day!" the brat snapped, taking the bait. 

"Unhooking a bra is no joke," King said seriously. 

"He's got straps galore, too bad you decided to be stubborn, I think we could've had some real fun otherwise," the woman commented, running a hand across Kid's waist, her hand catching on one of his belts. 

"Fuck you, bitch." Kid would've spat blood on her face but she wasn't close enough yet, and he wasn't willing to risk it landing on his own face. Not that it would've made much of a difference at this point, he was already a mess. 

She raised a hand to her mouth theatrically. "Now that's just rude." 

He growled at her and as she set out to unlace his boots he kicked at her. In his condition, it was quite a pathetic attempt but it landed hard enough to push her out of balance if nothing else. 

She fell on her ass with a surprised yelp. "Hey! Why'd you do that?"

"This is taking too long," said King and stepped in, ripping Kid's boots off without preamble and then pulling down his pants in one move. 

"No underwear? Naughty," the woman commented. "And he's big."

A comment like that didn't bode well. Sure, Kid had had his suspicions of where this was heading but he'd been hoping maybe they'd just content themselves with humiliating him. Using nudity to make the prisoner feel vulnerable and all that, hardly an original tactic but still better than the alternative. 

"You sound like you want to join in," Who's-Who chuckled. 

She made a vague gesture with her hand. "I just came to watch, but maybe later."

King cleared his throat and Who's-Who seemed to take that as a sign they should move things along. 

He turned towards the younger man by his side. "Go ahead, time to lose your virginity."

"Very funny," the man answered drily but didn't put up a protest, instead stepping closer to Kid. 

All Kid could do was stare angrily as he approached. Someone working under Kaido was unlikely to be intimidated so easily but at least it felt better than doing nothing. 

"This will be over faster if you behave," the man said while settling between Kid's legs. 

Kid had no intention of behaving but he kept his mouth shut. If he didn't show any immediate resistance, perhaps the man would drop his guard and Kid would get a strike in. It'd come with a cost but so would lying down without a fight. 

"Don't touch him!" Killer shouted. 

He'd probably also been hoping against hope that this was just a sick manipulation technique, perhaps a way to get Kid to change his mind about joining Kaido if that offer was still on the table. Not that it made a difference, he wasn't about to even consider that an option regardless of how bad things got. 

He was saved from having to convince Killer that there was nothing he could do by King flipping open a knife in one smooth motion that took Kid back to the many times he'd seen Law wield a scalpel. He tried to forcefully banish the association from his head. 

"Calm yourself, or I'll cut your captain's throat," King warned Killer in a smooth voice that managed to sound indifferent. Kid suspected he'd be more than happy to make his threat reality should the opportunity arise, though. 

Killer turned his head slightly and Kid liked to think it was in order to give a death glare to that asshole. Of course, his face was covered by the mask as usual so its effect was slightly diminished. 

The man who'd been voluntold to go first had managed to get his dick out and was jerking it into hardness, not exactly a sight Kid was eager to behold. His dick was on the smaller side, at least when compared to his own, so maybe he'd survive this without any extra physical injuries. It seemed unfair that they'd chosen to do this when his ass was quite possibly the only part of him not aching. 

There was no preparation as the man started to enter him. Kid gritted his teeth together, refusing to make a sound, refusing to think about the fact that Killer was standing there, just a few meters away, witnessing all of this. 

The man pushed the rest of the way in quickly and seemed to be overwhelmed by the feeling. He leaned over Kid, trying to catch his breath and Kid determined that was as good an opportunity as he was going to get. He gathered all the remnants of his strength and swung his metal arm towards his assailant. It hit the man in the side of his head, sending him rolling off Kid. 

Had the situation not been such a fucking disaster Kid would've laughed, looking at the man lying there dazed, his dick hanging out. Kid knew he'd only gotten the hit in because none of them saw him as a threat at this point but that didn't diminish his satisfaction. 

"Can't even manage to rape me, what a fucking limp dick," he wheezed, even such a small exertion enough to leave him out of breath. 

"That's it, his arm is coming off," King decided, stepping over. 

Kid bared his teeth at the man and rolled over so the metal arm was cradled under him. It was ridiculous to think he could keep them from taking it but if he could make it harder, he was damn well going to. The man wasn't deterred by Kid's attempt at protecting himself. He kicked him lightly, as if as a warning, then harder. 

"You going to roll over for me?" he asked. "If you make this hard we'll just take both arms."

That wasn't a prospect Kid cherished but he wasn't about to play nice regardless of their threats. 

"Kid," Killer said, sounding distressed. 

He didn't need to articulate it, Kid knew Killer wanted him to play along, at least enough to survive till they could strike back. But he was too stubborn, how could he live with himself if he let fear guide his decisions? Some pirate king he'd be then.

Kid was alarmed by how easily King pushed him over, wrenching his metal arm out to the side. He took a firm hold of the arm, secured his boot against Kid's side, and pulled. That, of course, wasn't how you were supposed to detach the prosthetic. It was a delicate piece of engineering, strong enough to withstand almost anything but the details and the way it was attached required special knowledge. It came off slowly, painfully, sending electric shocks across his nerves and making him scream. It felt like it went on forever before it came off completely, his stump hitting the floor with a sad thud. 

The loss of the arm made him feel more helpless than them taking his clothes had. The agony left tears in his eyes and he closed them, hoping nobody could see. There didn't seem to be an end to his humiliation tonight and the worst was yet to come, he was sure of it. 

"I'll hold him, you do your business," Who's-Who volunteered. 

"Don't even think about trying anything!" said the man he'd managed to hit as he approached Kid again. 

"Heh," Kid coughed at him. "You think I'm scared of you?"

"Your captain's not very smart, is he?" the woman addressed Killer. She didn't receive a reply. 

"Flip him over," King ordered and before Kid had time to react, he'd been turned around. 

On some level, he was grateful he didn't have to look anyone in the face, maybe his defiance had bought him something at least. As the man behind him pushed back inside, Kid tried to ignore the pain, and the anger rising inside him. He focused on the pain of his one remaining arm being forcefully bent backward to an angle where it was bound to take damage if he tried to fight against the hold even a little. At least Who's-Who wasn't entirely incompetent like some of the others. 

Killer had been wearing his mask, thanks for small mercies, and nobody had thought to insist he take it off. Kid trusted him to shut his eyes from the scene before him. There was nothing he could do about the noises but minimize the ones he was making. However, the man fucking into him was panting audibly, holding on to Kid's hips, pumping in and out. The sound of flesh against flesh was loud now that everyone had ceased talking in order to focus on this spectacle. 

With Who's-Who holding him down, there was no point to even dreaming of resisting. The best Kid could do was hope it'd all be over soon. Mercifully, the first round didn't take long. The man panting over him was done within minutes, coming inside with a gasp that suggested even he was surprised by his orgasm. He pulled out, his hand lingering for a moment on the small of Kid's back before he moved away. All Kid could do was lie there, face pressed against the floorboards, unable to distract himself from the way he could feel a trickle of jizz sliding out of him. 

"Bring in Hawkins," King told someone. 

"No! You bring him here, I'm gonna kill him!" Killer exploded, seemingly forgetting about King's earlier threat. Though at this point Kid wasn't sure he wouldn't rather be killed than have to bear Hawkins seeing him like this. 

"You want us to take you for a ride too, huh? Shut up unless you're that eager for dick," Who's-Who told him and bent Kid's arm further back until he made a pained noise. Killer shut his mouth but when Kid strained his neck he could see his hands were balled into fists. They'd better keep Hawkins away from both of them. 

Hawkins must've been lurking close by — or maybe the ship just wasn't that big, what did he know — because a moment later he stepped into the room, his gaze sliding over the whole scene impassively before settling on King. 

"We've been having some fun with your former ally here," King informed him. "Thought you might want to see some of it, just to fully appreciate what a good choice you made joining us instead."

"I see," Hawkins said without any visible emotion. 

Kid had turned his head enough that he was able to see his audience. He had to lift his head a little to catch sight of Hawkins' face, as unreadable as ever. The man stared back at him, unblinking as if seeing him naked on the floor, leaking come didn't move him one way or another.

Knowing him, he'd probably read his cards and determined it was Kid's fate to get raped to death and was now here just to spectate the event. Well, what was one more person at this point? Kid would kill them all eventually and then it'd be like none of this happened at all. He did his best to convey that through his stare but who knew whether Hawkins got the message or not. All Kid got in response was one slow blink. 

"You want a go?" King asked. He probably thought he was being generous. 

Hawkins frowned. "Is it required?"

"Entirely voluntary," King assured him. 

"Then I'd like to decline," Hawkins said, and Kid almost sighed in relief. 

"That was just a warmup," Who's-Who said, patting Kid on the shoulder before turning to address King, "bet you've been looking forward to this."

"I'm simply following orders," King said. "You should pay less attention to what Queen says."

Who's-Who shrugged. "Yeah, whatever, I'll take the front?"

"Suit yourself," King said, then handed his knife to Who's-Who. "Here, make sure he doesn't get any ideas."

Who's-Who accepted it with a grin, then bent down far enough that his mouth was next to Kid's ear and whispered, "just so you know, the same threat goes for you. Your teeth as much as scrape me, I'm cutting your first mate's dick clean off."

King didn't waste time before settling over Kid. He pushed one finger in as if in some mockery of foreplay, probing around for a minute before pushing the head of his cock in — apparently watching the earlier proceedings had been enough to make him fully hard. As he started to push in Kid could immediately tell he was much bigger than the previous fucker and some sick part of his brain told him to turn around to see what he had to expect. 

Before he could turn his head around though, Who's-Who grabbed his hair in his fist. "You want to look him in the eye while he fucks you? Tough luck, my dick's feeling neglected."

He'd moved in front of Kid so Kid was basically lying on his lap, unable to hold himself up with just one arm in his current condition. Who's-Who pulled his dick out, pushing down on Kid's head to guide him towards it. Kid closed his eyes in disgust and opened his mouth to take him in. Usually, he was quite adept at this but there was no way he'd let someone like this benefit from his skills. He was not about to lower himself to trying to get him off fast. It was probably an empty wish but maybe he'd lose interest if Kid was bad enough. 

As he made zero effort to participate actively, simply holding his mouth wide, openly drooling all over Who's-Who's dick, King decided to push all the way in without warning. It felt like the movement went on forever, his dick reaching impossibly deep and making Kid gag around the dick in his mouth as he fought against the scream that was building inside him. 

King grunted, not letting Kid adjust to the invasion. Instead, he pulled back immediately and slammed back in without restraint. He settled on a steady pace, his hands gripping Kid's hips tight enough to bruise and making any attempt to pull away impossible. The semen from earlier did little to ease the way and through the haze of pain, exhaustion, and lack of oxygen from having a dick shoved down his throat Kid thought he could feel blood trickling down his inner thigh. There were black spots at the edges of his vision as he struggled to draw in a breath, hands pushing his face down further with little regard to his life. 

"You're killing him!" Killer cried out. 

"Thought you understood by now we don't really need him alive," Who's-Who replied casually as if he is wasn't actively participating in rape. 

He waited a long minute before doing anything, then pulled Kid's head up roughly by the hair. Kid gulped in greedy mouthfuls of air, trying to cling to consciousness for Killer's sake if nothing else. His face was wet with drool and tears and he distantly wished he could wipe it off. 

"Such a sad sight," Who's-Who commented, curling a hand around himself to jerk off. "Open up."

This time he didn't push all the way in, sticking only the head inside Kid's mouth. Kid's jaw ached and Who's-Who stuck his thumb inside to make him open his mouth wider like he was a horse refusing to take the bit. The temptation to bite down on both the man's finger and dick was strong but at this point, he couldn't assume they were bluffing about what they'd do to Killer. So he didn't do anything except try to keep his head still despite King jostling him around with his thrusts. There'd be time for revenge later, he told himself. 

The luxury of being allowed to breathe didn't last long. Who's-Who grabbed Kid's head with both hands and shoved all the way in, grunting with pleasure as he started to come down his throat. Kid gagged around it, trying to find enough purchase with one arm to push himself away, heedless of the consequences. They'd probably be worse if he puked all over the man's dick, anyway. Who's-Who seemed to agree as he pulled his head back up and chuckled as his come dribbled down from Kid's mouth. Kid coughed and spat it out, not even making an attempt to swallow. 

Despite finishing, Who's-Who made no move to get up and Kid had no choice but to keep laying on his lap as he waited for King to finish. Either the performance in front of him had turned King on or he decided he could finally stop holding back now that Kid was no longer in danger of choking, because he upped his pace, leaning so much weight on Kid's lower back he was starting to think he might get spinal injuries on top of everything else. 

Every thrust had Kid wincing with pain. There was blood now to ease the way but it didn't do much to lessen the pain. King didn't comment and didn't seem to expect anything from Kid either, apart from obediently lying there and taking it. Everyone around them was quiet enough Kid could have almost forgotten they had an audience were it not for the hitched breaths Killer kept taking whenever Kid made an involuntary sound of pain. 

Just as he was starting to think he might pass out before King ever finished the man leaned forward, pressing himself against Kid's back, and reached for his stump, digging his fingers into the mess of scar tissue, making Kid howl with pain and disgust. There was something seriously wrong with Kaido's people but this one in particular. His display of emotion did the trick at least, King thrust in one last time before slowing down. He didn't make a sound as a came but Kid could feel him throb inside him and as he pulled out, something wet leaked out. Blood or come, didn't make a difference at this point, he'd already been thoroughly humiliated. 

King moved away, which seemed to be a sign for the others that it was over. Who's-Who stood up, letting Kid's head bang against the floor, but Kid hardly registered the pain anymore. He didn't open his eyes, there was nothing he'd gain from seeing how Hawkins looked at him, or whether Killer had turned away in disgust. The faces of everyone present were already burned in his mind anyway, he could see them even with his eyes closed. And they would suffer before they died. 

"We should take a break," Who's-Who said, poking Kid with his foot. "He's totally out of it."

"I was getting hungry anyway," King agreed. 

"What about this one?" the woman asked referring to Killer. 

"Leave him, I think he'll cause less trouble if we don't separate them for now," King said before stepping outside. 

Kid could hear the others follow him out of the room. He wanted to say something to Killer but there was nothing that could make this alright. He'd never been good with words anyway. He could already feel the whole day catching up to him, darkness infiltrating his vision and this time he let it take over instead of fighting it.


	2. Chapter 2

As everyone filed out of the room, the woman who'd stood next to Killer during the whole thing lagged behind. 

She tossed Killer a glass bottle filled with water on her way out of the door. "Here, try to make him drink something."

Killer chastised himself for the flash of gratitude he felt over the gesture and quenched it quickly. All these people deserved from him was a slow death. Nevertheless, right now wasn't the time to linger on revenge fantasies — before the door even closed behind her, Killer was kneeling next to Kid again, this time thankfully without an audience. He wasn't naive enough to hope they'd been left alone without any surveillance but any semblance of privacy was an improvement to the situation. 

He held out a hand to check up on Kid's pulse only to notice his hand was trembling. He clenched it into a fist to try and control his weakness before extending it again. Kid's pulse was there, still steady and strong, not that Killer had truly feared him dead. No, as horrific as the day had been, it'd take more than this to kill him. 

Kid didn't react to Killer's presence and his skin felt unnaturally hot despite him having lain on the cool floor for hours. Killer feared it was a fever setting in, none of the wounds from the battle had been properly taken care of and what had happened tonight certainly hadn't helped. 

It was wrong, seeing Kid like this, vulnerable and hurt and not being able to do a thing to help. He'd scared Killer before, their journey to this point had been full of dangers and setbacks. But even when he'd lingered at death's door for days after the fight with Red Hair, Killer had known when he dragged his captain to the ship bleeding, a trail of red behind them, that the worst of it was over and the only thing between them and hell was Kid's will to live. 

Yet here, the worst wasn't over. He feared it was yet to come. He was ready to die, having put his faith in Kid, he wouldn't have it any other way, but even he knew that Kid was human. Not a regular human by any means but capable of being hurt, capable of dying. But when he died it should be standing up, facing his opponent. 

Killer had never had regrets about the things they'd done. Some acts had been cruel, certainly, but also necessary. Their bounties had increased swiftly because they hadn't been afraid to do what had to be done and they had never given anyone a second chance. Many people hated pirates, the government actively hunted them down, but regardless of what people said, there was a level of respect between crews. Red Hair... he'd let them go, would never have lowered himself to something like this. 

Maybe it was apt to call the first part of the sea paradise if this was how things were done beyond it. 

Killer didn't know how much time he'd have but he set to take full advantage of it. The room was bare save for some basics so he had to make do with almost nothing. He picked up Kid's coat that had been discarded on the floor, it was dirty, covered in dirt and blood, but it'd still be better than nothing. He spread it on Kid like a blanket, hoping it'd offer at least a modicum of warmth, and lifted his captain’s head on his lap. 

Kid's face was smeared with blood, the sight making Killer choke up. He tried not to think about what had been done to him. It was better to focus on a task, lest his thoughts start to wander. If he let himself dwell on the events of tonight he wasn't sure he'd be able to remain in control of his actions. 

He poured some water on his hand and carefully wiped the worst of the blood off Kid's face. Then, he combed his fingers through his messy hair in an attempt to assess whether there was any serious damage to his skull. There didn't seem to be any open head wounds but who knew about concussions and skull fractures. He didn't even want to think about intracranial bleeding and Kid never waking up. For the first time ever he wished Trafalgar was there, he would've known what to do. 

Kid stirred against him, coughing and wincing. 

Killer's full focus was instantly pulled back to his captain. "Kid? Are you awake?"

"Feels nice," he slurred against Killer's thigh. 

Killer smiled at him sadly under his mask, resuming running his fingers through Kid's hair as gently as he could. "I'm sorry."

"The fuck for?"

"What they did to you, it's not right."

Kid barked out a laugh, then groaned and curled around his ribs. "Don't make me laugh."

"You should drink something," Killer said, offering the bottle he'd been handed. "Got any serious injuries?"

"What do I know," Kid mumbled, making no move towards the bottle. "Not a damn doctor."

"I know. But what hurts?"

"Everything," Kid sighed miserably, closing his eyes. 

His head rested heavily on Killer's lap and after a moment of silence, it became clear he'd dozed off again. Killer did his best to soothe him, keeping up with petting his hair. As he sat there, he thought he heard Kid mumble something that resembled a name in his sleep but chose to ignore it. 

He racked his brain for anything he could do to get them out of this mess but it truly seemed like their situation was hopeless. There was no way Kid would get out under his own strength, not that there was anywhere to go, anyway. They were in the middle of the ocean, their only chance was to take over the ship and to even attempt that would have been suicidal. There were too many Devil Fruit users onboard and probably multiple people with the ability to use haki. His only hope seemed to be calling for help, something he wasn't going to be able to do without a careful plan.

He was startled out of his thoughts by the quiet creak from the door as Hawkins stepped in without the rest of the earlier entourage. 

"What are you doing here?" Killer hissed under his breath, unable to keep the hostility from his voice but also unwilling to wake Kid. Hawkins wasn't worth it. 

"I came to warn you."

"I don't give a shit what you have to say, you're dead to me. Just wait till I get a chance to cut you open."

Hawkins gave them both a long look. "You're in no position to make threats. If you kill him now, you could save him a lot of suffering. Yourself, too."

"What did you just say to me?" Killer couldn't believe he'd have the nerve to suggest something like that, especially after he'd betrayed them. 

Hawkins tilted his head almost imperceptibly. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Killer narrowed his eyes at him, trying to discern what he meant by that. Hawkins had always been cryptic, but it was clear he knew something he wasn't saying. How had he expected Killer to even do it? Strangulation? Killer lowered his eyes to Kid who even in a place like this didn't hesitate to doze off, knowing Killer would have his back. The thought made nausea well up in his stomach as if some core part of him rebelled against the mere idea. He'd dedicated his whole life to Kid, he'd kill himself before hurting him. 

"I don't expect you to understand loyalty," is all he said to Hawkins. 

"Perhaps I understand more than you think," he answered, then sighed, "no matter, it is too late now."

Apparently, Hawkins had a keener hearing than him because it took Killer a while before he picked up on the approaching footsteps. He clutched instinctively to Kid's still unconscious form as the door opened to admit King with his underlings in tow.

"If this isn't a sight for sore eyes! Someone bring the cameko!" someone announced mockingly, earning a few snickers and cheers from others.

"You," King nodded towards Killer, "wake him up."

"Do what you want with me but let him rest," Killer said, though he didn't expect them to listen to him. 

"Don't worry, you'll be involved this time," King assured him. 

"He's not looking too good," someone commented after taking a long look at Kid. 

"Even if he does die King would probably still go for seconds," Who's-Who commented as if the man wasn't standing right next to him. 

"That's disgusting," mumbled someone. 

"Don't you remember that prisoner we had a year ago? King threatened her and she killed herself — who leaves sheets in a prisoner's cell anyway? — to escape the humiliation but, well... King had his way with her, regardless," Who's-Who regaled them as if anyone wanted more details. 

"I'd blocked that memory for a reason!" exclaimed the woman who'd offered Killer her water bottle. 

They didn't give a damn what Killer had to say and had even less regard for Kid's well being, too wrapped up in their own gross affairs. Killer jostled Kid a little, as gently as possible, "hey, time to wake up."

He didn't wake up easily and Killer was starting to worry that someone was about to step in and kick him awake when Kid blinked his eyes open, taking worryingly long to center himself. It was clear that at first, he didn't know where he was and it was painful to watch the realization dawn on his face, his whole body tensing up in anticipation of new suffering. He didn't attempt to move his head from Killer's lap though, his face warm against his thigh. Killer could only hope that a familiar touch helped him even a little. 

Someone decided it was time to draw everyone's attention back to them. "He's awake."

"Good, now strip," King ordered, staring right at Killer.

"I'm gonna kill you," Killer growled at him. "Every last one of you."

"Yeah, I'm shaking."

"Go on, give us a show," someone suggested with a drunken giggle. 

Killer lowered his gaze to the floor, feeling defeated. There was nowhere to run. And though he didn't really want to hear the answer, he asked, "why?"

"I think you know why," King told him. 

And he did know. Only, the reason was too ugly to even consider. "No."

King shook his head slowly, as if in disbelief over the fact that he was still resisting. "I'll make the choice easy for you. Either you fuck him or I'll cut his head clean off. Dead or alive, isn't that what the wanted posters say? He'd probably be of more use to us dead anyway."

To emphasize his words, he flipped out a sword, placing the blade on Kid's throat. It glinted dangerously in the firelight, ready to cut Kid's pale skin. Kid didn't react, he'd never been impressed by such tactics, but Killer couldn't ignore the threat. 

The thought of having to watch his captain bleed to death right there, naked and in the middle of enemies was enough to convince him into action. He got up, gently placing Kid’s head back on the floor before starting to work on his clothes. He tarried as much as possible, unbuttoning each button of his shirt individually, irrationally hoping that if he just gave the universe enough time, it'd somehow find a way to intervene and end this nightmare. 

"The mask as well," King ordered once Killer was otherwise done. 

It was stupid to have thought they'd allow him to keep his mask on. And maybe at this point, it shouldn't have mattered, but irrational or not, he wasn't ready to let go of his last layer of protection against the world. He didn't want them to see his face, not during what he was about to do. 

"Kid, I don't, I can't—“ he started because Kid was the only person in the room who'd listen to him even if he had no power to change the situation. 

"Yeah, you fucking can," he gasped from the floor, eyes searching Killer's. "It's okay, it's on them."

It didn't matter to Killer that Kid was powerless, that he was barely hanging on to consciousness. He could've made it an order and Killer would've obeyed. But it wasn't an order. He knew his captain and Kid was giving him a choice. It might mean they'd both end up dead but Kid was leaving it in his hands. 

He didn't know if it made him weak but to him, it wasn't a choice at all. If there was even a sliver of hope, he'd do what it took to keep Kid alive. Even if this destroyed them... Kid would still have Law. He'd be alright. Eventually. And if not, Killer would gladly do what it took to atone for this. With one movement he ripped off the mask and threw it across the floor.

He moved down, settling between Kid's legs. He pushed the coat to the side just enough to expose his lower body, hoping the others wouldn't comment on it. It was probably in vain to think that there was anything that could ease what was about to happen but maybe having even an illusion of cover would help. 

He'd be lying if he said he'd never dreamed of bedding Kid, not like this, never like this, but in different circumstances where they both were willing. It was impossible to see Kid, shirtless and covered in sweat, growling threats and orders left and right and not be aroused by the sight. More than once Killer had found himself thinking about the man while jerking off, unable to banish his image from his mind. 

This, however, was wrong on so many levels. Kid was hurt, in need of medical intervention, not sex, not even the consensual kind. There was blood leaking down his inner thigh and Killer knew it was from King violating him earlier. The sight made him nauseous, he wanted to cradle Kid close and tell him everything would be alright. He wanted to make it alright, protect him from the world like when they were still brats in the streets of their home island and he was still the bigger and stronger one. 

In reality, though, he was weak. Too weak to be of any use, weak enough they could actively use him against the last person he'd ever want to hurt. 

"No, no, no, I want you to look him in the eye when you fuck him," King told him as he made a move towards Kid. "Let's not give him a chance to forget who's giving it to him."

Killer didn't even have time to process the order before Kid was already turning onto his back as if determined to make this as easy as possible for Killer. He could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, Kid shouldn't have had to worry about him on top of everything. Usually, it was Killer calming the other man down, managing his emotions to get them out of trouble but now he felt frozen, the weight of a thousand conflicting emotions eating away at him. 

He wasn't hard, how could he have been. He took his dick in his hand and gave it a few slow strokes but he felt no pleasure, not even on the purely physical level. Instead, the tread that he might get hard coursed through his veins, making any attempt futile. 

"I think," Who's-Who decided to point out the obvious, "he's having issues performing."

"What? Your captain's suddenly not sexy enough for you?" someone jeered.

Who's-Who shrugged. "Maybe he's usually the one getting fucked."

Killer wasn't sure why they were so convinced he and Kid were in a sexual relationship. Were there rumors about the nature of their relationship? Not that he'd be surprised to find out these people were just bigoted fucks that got off on shaming others for their sexuality, real or imagined. As far as he knew, nobody had even found out about Kid and Trafalgar though there were people who'd have sold their soul for that piece of news. 

"Thankfully I foresaw this," King said, handing something to Who's-Who. "Here, that should do the trick."

"Why do I have to do it?"

"Because I say so, or did you forget which one of us ranks higher?"

"For now," Who's-Who muttered as he strode to Killer's side, wasting no time injecting him with who knew what. 

Whatever it was, it didn't take long for Killer to feel its effects. Of course, it had been too optimistic to think he might get out of this. 

"I'm sorry, so fucking sorry," Killer choked out as he stroked himself into hardness.

"I told you, it's okay," Kid told him quietly. "This won't change anything, I won't let it."

As if it was possible to promise something like that. As if one could go through something like this and remain the same. Killer wasn't naive enough to believe Kid, no, this was going to change everything. He just hoped they'd be able to pick up the pieces and fix them up to something resembling what they'd had. 

"You're all I've got." It slipped out, though Killer couldn’t deny the truth in it. If he lost Kid who could he turn to?

"It'll be over soon," Kid reassured him as if the whole thing wasn't much worse for him. 

Killer closed his eyes briefly as he repositioned himself. He slid in easily, his dick slick with blood and semen, and did his best to empty his head of any thoughts. Maybe if he concentrated on the physical sensations only he could get through it.

Making it quick might've allowed him to climax faster but there was no chance he'd do that to Kid, no, he'd already been hurt before those guys had their way with him, he had to be trying to hide how much pain he was in now. Killer placed a hand on Kid's hip lightly as he moved in and out. 

There was a part of him that wanted to avert his eyes, that felt this would be less intimate if they weren't staring at each other. He also feared that Kid's face from tonight would haunt his nightmares for years to come, perhaps the rest of his life. But he'd been ordered to do the opposite and Kid for one seemed insistent on following that order. He didn't let Killer look away, his hypnotic stare poring into his very soul. At least this way Killer could tell if it was becoming too much for Kid. 

Despite getting fucked multiple times — raped, he'd been raped, but Killer couldn't consider that right now, unless he wanted to vomit all over Kid from the sheer horror — Kid was tight enough that the friction was getting Killer closer and closer. He pushed in a little harder — and saw Kid flinch. His face returned to blank quickly but Killer knew what he'd seen. Without whatever they'd injected into him, he knew he couldn't have kept going. Even now, his dick still hard and buried inside, he had to stop.

He wanted to apologize but how could he when there were a thousand things to apologize for. He ducked his head, too ashamed to meet Kid's eyes when the other man lifted a hand to his face. He wiped away the tears Killer hadn't even realized were there and curled his hand behind his neck, pulling him down until their foreheads touched. 

"Shh," Kid shushed him. "It doesn't even hurt."

He was such a fucking liar, Killer almost choked on a hysterical laugh. What came out sounded more like a sob. 

"I thought this would be more interesting," someone commented with a yawn. 

"Yeah, it's getting late, hurry it up, won't ya," the woman groaned. Water or not, she was on the kill list as well. 

"Just do it," Kid said, reaching back to grab at Killer's thigh and pull him closer. 

Killer's hair kept falling forward, obscuring his face from everyone except Kid. It did little to create the illusion that they were alone but he hoped it kept their audience from noticing his crying. They'd already seen too much. 

There was nothing he could say, so he only nodded. Kid didn't pull his hand back, instead running it up across the expanse of his back. Killer could only shiver at its touch. 

He wasn't sure what Kid was doing, trying to encourage him? Distract him? Whatever it was, it was working. His whole world shrunk down to that one point of contact, and as he resumed his movements he could almost pretend for a moment, even if purely for his own benefit, that it was just the two of them, that nobody was making them do this. 

It seemed like an eternity before he managed to reach a climax and when it happened it was the saddest one he'd ever experienced. It brought him no pleasure and the only sound he made was for the benefit of their audience, to signal that he was done. 

As soon as he could he pulled out, tearing his eyes off Kid, focusing on the floorboards instead. He was damned if he was going to accidentally make eye contact with anyone from Kaido's sick crew. 

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" King broke the silence.

It took all of his willpower to stay down and not react. Who needed weapons, Killer was sure he had enough rage he could've ripped the man apart with his bare hands. 

"I've got more planned for both of you once we reach home," King continued, “but for now I think we could all do with some sleep.”

“Should we take them back to the others?” the woman asked.

Who’s-Who scoffed. “I’m not carrying him.”

“Just leave him. We’ll re-evaluate in the morning if he lives through the night.”

 _Let me stay too_ , Killer wanted to say but it sounded too much like begging even in his head. Plus he didn’t know if Kid would even want him to stay. The thought of leaving him alone here, however, didn’t sit right with Killer. He wouldn’t put it past Hawkins to slip in at night and slit Kid’s throat while he couldn’t fight back.

He was afraid to look at Kid, to see the dismissal on his face. But just like always, Kid took the lead, reaching out a hand to squeeze Killer’s own reassuringly. It was probably all he had strength for but it was enough.

“I want to stay too,” Killer voiced not quite a request, not quite a command.

King narrowed his eyes, saying nothing. The mask made his expressions impossible to read, Killer had no idea whether he’d just made things worse. All he could do was wait for the verdict.

Before anyone could speak a word, Hawkins stepped up. “I’ll stand guard.”

King gave him a calculating look, most likely assessing whether he could be trusted. “I’ll allow it.”

Killer wasn’t a fool. He didn’t entertain any delusions that Hawkins was offering this out of the goodness of his heart — if he even had one. Whether he was partly motivated by some residual guilt over his betrayal didn’t matter, he wasn’t going to help them with an escape. This was just a way for him to prove his loyalty to his new masters.

“Till tomorrow then!” the woman interjected, already stepping out of the door. “I’ll send you breakfast.”

“No, you won’t,” Who’s-Who barked at her, “since when do we waste our rations on prisoners?”

King was the last one out of the door. He turned to offer Killer one final look. “I’m sure I don’t have to elaborate on what will happen if you try anything.”

As if Killer could forget that King still had the rest of the crew at his mercy. “I know.”

“Good.”

As soon as the door clicked shut, Killer was up collecting his clothes and pulling them back on. Once done, he helped Kid get dressed, although Killer had to do most of the work. By the time they were both decent again, Kid was panting in pain.

“We should—We should do something,” he wheezed.

Killer shook his head slowly. “There’s nothing we can do right now. We’ll figure it out after we’ve slept.”

Kid seemed to realize he didn’t have enough energy to argue, let alone think of an escape plan. He finally allowed Killer to pour some water down his throat, managed to even swallow most of it, before nodding off again. Killer laid down next to him, hoping the shared body heat would help ward off the chill. As he threw an arm across Kid’s waist he revered in the fact that Kid leaned back into him. Maybe such an unconscious gesture didn’t mean anything at all. But he dared to hope that things between them weren’t broken beyond repair.

**Author's Note:**

> "Every day,  
> Every day,  
> Tell the hours  
> By their shadows,  
> By their shadows."  
>  _-The Sun-Dial, Adelaide Crapsey_


End file.
